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This is somewhat of a report about my summer vacation to the East visiting my relatives. Pictures will be added as soon as I scan them.

I typed this a while back with some help. So please bear with the format of it.

Day 1: Thursday, August 15, 1996

       I arrived at the Ontario airport by 7:00 am and I boarded the Northwest flight at 8:30 heading to Minnesota. Arrived in Minnesota at 1:30 pm. Boarded northwest flight 564 to New York (La Guardia airport) at 2:35. Taxied out to the runway and stopped behind another plane, the captain informed us that there were some weather problems between Minnesota and New York. He said that we were going to wait for a little while until it cleared up. It took about 3 hours until they canceled our flight and the other existing flights taking off that evening flying out to the eastern states. While we were waiting it took another hour to get a gate and unload the passengers. When we got off I picked up one off the complementary phone cards they were handing out to the delayed passengers and called Aunt Ellen so I could tell her what happened to my flight. By this time it was 7:00 pm, walked around dumfounded for an hour until Ellen found me in the room set aside for unaccompanied traveling children. In the mean time Uncle Ralph was at La Guardia airport in New York City waiting for me. About 7:30 East Coast time, he learned the flight was canceled. I found out later that he called Ellen to tell her I was probably hanging around the Minneapolis airport. Ellen and I drove back to the house around 8:40, Uncle Craig and the kids were surprised to see me back so soon. Went to sleep at 10:00.

Day 2: Friday, August 16, 1996

Woke up at 6:10 am at Craig And Ellen's' house, dressed and left at 6:30 with Craig. Arrived at the airport to find that the Northwest flight out at 7:35 was canceled that morning due to weather and had to take another flight out at 9:35 am. Waved good-bye to Uncle Craig and boarded the plane, after I boarded and got out on the taxi-way we had to wait another 30 minuets because of wind shear on the run-way.
Finally took off at 10:10 to La Guardia airport to meet Uncle Ralph waiting for me. When I got off the plane in NYC Uncle Ralph was there to greet me, he asked, "Did you get lunch?" I said no. He Said, "Well, tell me the five Boroughs of New York City, who is the mayor, who is Governor of N.Y., Connecticut, and New Jersey, what is the state Capital of N.Y., Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Give me the Answers and you get lunch - otherwise it is a long time till dinner!" Well, we had lunch at La Guardia Airport! I learned that La Guardia airport was named after an early (colorful) mayor of New York City (Fiorello La Guardia) in the early 1940's. We had lunch at the airport, left about 2:00 pm. We drove to Long Island out to Kings Point, where Uncle Ralph went to Marine Academy; toward the end of the World War II he was partly in it at sea sailing as a Marine Engineer. Uncle Ralph gave me an excellent tour of the campus, which included a tour of the dormitories where we spoke o midshipmen and visited the engineering labs. Left at 4:00 down Great Neck Drive and over Throg's Neck Bridge onto New England Expressway, then to Trumbull and to Uncle Ralph's and Aunt Marjorie's house by 6:00 pm. Uncle Ralph made us a salmon salad (that was very good) and a slice of melon which we ate in front of the TV watching the evening news. Took off to bed at 11:00.

Day 3: Saturday, August 17, 1996

Woke up at 8:00 am and had breakfast Uncle Ralph cooked for us (cracked wheat and honeydew melon). Left the house about 10:00 and headed toward the Hudson River on the Merit Parkway, witch is the oldest "freeway" in the US It goes from New York City to Hartford. Exited off North to highway 120, went to the headquarters of IBM and the World Headquarters of PepsiCo (Uncle Ralph asked for a free bottle of Pepsi, but we couldn't get one.) We also toured one of the New York State University Campus- a rather large campus with ugly buildings, and then we headed toward Armonk and Chappaqua. Turned onto the 117 highway and toured Pace University on an old "Estate" in Chappaqua. Turned onto highway 9 to Briarcliff Manor and Ossining (sing sing prison) on the Hudson River. Drove down (over the New York Central RR tracks). Got on the 9 North to Bear Mountain Bridge to cross the Hudson again. Stopped and took a picture at Fort Smith of a World War II tank, crossed the Hudson and turned onto the 9w heading to West Point (the US Military Academy). Toured the visitor's center while waiting for the tour Bus, bought two tickets at the Visitors Center for a guided tour of the Academy at 1:30 pm. Back at the Visitors Center to drive to the campus in the car, parked and walked around the stone buildings. Very beautiful stone architecture and impressive statues all around the campus. 100 years ago Sylvanus Thayer was an engineer from Dartmouth, he was asked by the Government to design a proper Military Academy. He visited Academies in Europe, Germany, and France. Came back to West Point and installed a new curriculum in Heavy Civil-Engineering, Math, Science, and Discipline to teach Leadership, now known as the "Father of the Academy". It is a 4-year College Course. Most of our Generals from the Civil War, Mexican War, Spanish War, World War I, & World War II, the Korean War, and the Viet Nam War all came from West Point. Several of our presidents came from West Point- Grant, Dwight Eisenhower.
We saw Gen. George Paten's statue, he took 5 years to finish the Academy and when asked why it took so long he said he couldn't find the library so he's facing toward the library holding binoculars. We saw samples of the cadets' rooms, 4,000 cadets attend this Academy and today new cadets were going to be accepted on the parade ground. The next day move they to the "Beast" Barracks, then to be refereed to as plebes the following year.
Left West Point about 4 pm, back on highway 9w to New Burgh. Entered the New York thruway (a toll road) about 4:15 headed North toward Albany (the state capital of New York). We passed though towns like; Kingston, Saugerties, and Glenmont. It was a very beautiful afternoon drive through the rolling Catskill Mountains.
Uncle Ralph thought R.P.I. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) was in the city by that name, so we drove through the town, across the Hudson from Albany, until we stopped to ask directions to R.P.I. A person told us that it was in Troy, 3 miles North of Rensselaer, so we got back onto the freeway and saw a sign directing us to R.P.I. Crossed back over the Hudson from the freeway about 5:00 pm and then we were in Troy.
Drove around the campus on some small roads reading names on the buildings and streets until we met a policeman. He said that the roads we were using were for emergency use only. Uncle Ralph kidded with him, saying this is an emergency, we're lost. We asked if he had any information about the college, he lead us to the visitors center and gave us a 1996-1997 course catalog, he was very nice. We parked the car and walked around the campus for a little bit. We ran into a Muslim family from Kuala Lumpur in Indonesia, their boy was taking a course on computer systems in that college. Uncle Ralph greeted them with "Salem Alicom", meaning "God be with you," which is a proper greeting for Muslims, for Hindus it is Nay-mas-stay.
Left R.P.I. looking for highway 2, the very first coast-to-coast highway from Boston to Seattle. Went on highway 7 for a little while until we could find a route connecting the two highways. Went down route 278 to the 2, headed East to Williamstown. We crossed into Massachusetts about 6:30 and started to look for a motel in Williamstown. As we drove along highway 2 all we saw were "No Vacancy" signs in every motel and hotel. We turned around and Uncle Ralph said, "We can find a Commercial Hotel at Pitsfield." Got onto highway 7 from 2 and drove South toward Pitsfield, 5 miles down was Brodie Mountain right at the borders of New Ashford, we saw Brodie Mountain Ski resort where Uncle Ralph took his kids when they were learning to ski in the early 1960's. We saw that they had a vacancy, it was 8:00 pm so we drove up the "mountain" and got a room at the Dublin house. We were pretty hungry and we asked the man if he knew a good place to eat, the man recommended eating at The Springs Restaurant. We drove back up highway 7 to the restaurant and got a table for three (to have enough room to writ notes on the trip). This was a very fancy restaurant with a complete menu; Uncle Ralph ordered Veal Scaloppini and I had Prime Ribs. A first class meal- but an ugly waitress. We both had a nice salad and chicken soup that was fantastic. We drove back to the resort and went to bed at 10:00.

Day 4: Sunday, August 18, 1996

An early riser, Uncle Ralph drove over to The Springs Motor Inn (an early breakfast cafe across the highway from The Springs restaurant) to have a cup of coffee. Came back to the Motel and picked me up, and we ate breakfast at the same place he had coffee. At about 9:00 am headed back up to Williamstown, drove around Williams college, the smallest of all Ivy League Colleges. Went to the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Collection in Williamstown, very interesting art. They were featuring a collection or Renoir's (Impressionist paintings) I bought an art book with color pictures of art on display in the Famous museum. The art collection in this museum was donated by Mr. & Mrs. Sterling Clark, we speculated as to what kind of business Mr. Clark was in to afford and collect such excellent art- not to mention the cost of the (marble) museum. Went East on highway 2 toward North Adams and stopped at "Sunrise to the Mohawk" and took a picture. Stopped at "Longview Tower" in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. We could see all three states; Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. Continued East to North-South freeway 91 to Amherst, Mass. and Amherst College-which we toured (this is a Liberal Arts college, very hard to get into). Back to freeway 91 and South to Springfield and to Hartford, the Capital of Connecticut. Back at Trumbull around 4:00 pm, relaxed and ate an egg sandwich. We left at 6:00 to pick up Aunt Marjorie at the J.F.K. airport. She was returning from a trip to visit her relatives in Los Douglas. On the way we crossed the Whitestone Bridge and returning used it again. Back at the house by 9:30, went to sleep at 10:00.

Day 5: Monday, August 19, 1996

Woke up at 10:00 am. Had French Toast and fruit and worked on my notes. At 1:00 pm we took off in Uncle Ralph's yellow 4 Wheel Drive pick-up truck to rent a log splitter. When we got there the truck wouldn't start, so we unhooked the log splitter. In order for the truck to start, the clutch must be depressed. I wiggled the wires by the clutch box and the truck started. But we had used up so much time with the truck that we decided it was too late to split wood that afternoon. We dropped the truck off at a service station and told the merchant to eliminate the switch, which he did - and at no charge! Aunt Marjorie picked us up. Finished my notes and had a very good dinner prepared by me and that famous French Chef, Uncle Ralph, watched some TV, and went to bed at 10:00.

Day 6: Tuesday, August 20, 1996

Woke up at 7:30 got ready to take a Metro train with Uncle Ralph to Manhattan leaving at 9:14 from Bridgeport. That was my first train ride, we bought "Express" tickets. The ticket master said we must take the tunnel to the West bound (N.Y.C..) train on the tracks opposite the station- we did- just then the Express pulled in from New Haven on the other track but we were already on the Local with not enough time to get back to the track on the "other side". This screw-up really irritated Uncle Ralph, he said we bought tickets for the Express so we wouldn't have to stop at Fairfield, Greenfarms, Norwalk, Stanford, etc. Anyway, we got into the city about 15 minutes late. We arrived at Grand Central Station at 42nd and Lexington, Uncle Ralph explained to me that in the winter, you can walk around many of the city's neighborhoods by going through buildings or tunnels , he demonstrated this by our walking over to the pan Am Building using an escalator. Then we walked through the Grand Central to an arcade which led us to the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel on the corner at 42nd and Lexington. We had some Danish and coffee over the streets and the Chrysler building. We walked out on 42nd St. Uncle Ralph explained that the avenues like 5th and 6th, etc. run North and South, streets- like 42nd St. Run East and West. Most of them go from the East River to the Hudson. We walked "down town"- that's South on Lex. 2 blocks, then East to 3rd Ave. We went into a skyscraper building on 40-th and 3rd Ave - I asked the Guard, "which floor for Snow-Becker-Kraus", he said 25. There were 3 sets of elevators, we found an elevator to the 25th floor (some only go to 24, others go from 33 to 50 etc.) Snow Becker Kraus is a New York City Law Firm Specializing in Corp. Law and Securities (stocks). This is one of the Firms that Uncle Ralph and Uncle Scott in Minneapolis uses. Uncle Ralph had some questions for Attorney Eric Honek. While waiting we had an excellent view of "downtown", the East River, Brooklyn and the Empire State Building. Uncle Ralph said he had been doing business with Charlie Snow and Jack Becker since 1968- that Mr. Becker had written the Prospectus in 1970 for Osmonics- one of Uncle Ralph's "Companies". We left the Law office and waking East (one-way St., 40th St.) caught a cab, and went over the Brooklyn Bridge (the most famous Bridge in the world), over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (the longest Suspension Bridge in the world) to Staten Island. Then back over the Bridge to Brooklyn, then through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, under the East River. Stopped at Trinity Church, inspected the grave yard with the old tombstones of some famous people. Walked over to the New York Stock Exchange at the corner of Wall street and Broadway. We got passes to visit the Floor of the New York Stock Exchange but the next tour was not for another 40 minutes. So we spoke to some of the traders who were out on the street "taking a break"- Uncle Ralph found a trader he knew- this trader used to buy and sell stock in Frigitronics, a company started by Uncle Ralph and Aunt Marjorie. They had about 2,000 employers. Then we found a trader that bought/sold Osmonics Stock- Uncle Ralph asked what it was trading at today, the trader said 20, 201/2 (Uncle Ralph provided the working Capital to start this Company.) Then over to Fraunces Tavern on Broad street to have lunch. It was in this very Tavern at the end of the Revolutionary war about 1780 when General George Washington invited all of his officers for a dinner, he gave a speech and bid them all good bye. He was involved in Congress, then when the Government and Constitution was finished in 1789 he was elected the 1st president. He served 2, 4 year terms from 1789 to 1797, the nations capital was then in New York City- housed in what is now the old "Town Hall." Above the restaurant there was a museum that had the furnishings of the old 1762 look of the Tavern. After we ate we went over to Castle Clinton by the Battery to get a view of the Statue of Liberty out in the Harbor, it was too late to book a reservation. Took a cab to 42nd Street and walked over to Times Square. Then to the Times Square Marriot Hotel and had a glass of water at the Revolving Bar on the 7th Floor. We walked on 47th street from 6th Ave to 5th Ave where all the diamond merchants work and have their shops. Then we walked up to Rockefeller Center where I read John Rockefeller's (Founder of Standard Oil) credo. Across the street is St. Patrick's Cathedral which we visited, it was hot in N.Y. City and we were thirsty, for refreshments we walked over to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. In the Bar called the Bear and the Bull we had about 3 big orange juices, we were really dry! Walked back to Grand Central Station and caught the 6:04 pm Metro Express (this time we got on the right train, and because it was "peak" hours I had to pay an extra $3.00) back to Bridgeport by 7:23, drove back to the house. Had dinner and went to sleep at 10:00 pm.

Day 7: Wednesday, August 21, 1996

Woke up at 9:00. Ate breakfast, worked on notes, and at 12:00 pm (with the pick-up truck running OK) rented a log splitter. Split wood until 2:30, returned splitter, stacked the wood, and had a snack. Worked on notes and at 5:30 had dinner, watched TV, and packed bags for tomorrow's flight to Washington. Went to sleep at 11:00 pm.

Day 8: Thursday, August 22, 1996

Woke up at 7:00, got dressed, had breakfast, and left the house at 8:00 am. At La Guardia, took the 10:30 shuttle to Washington, DC. Arrived at Washington by 11:30 and took a cab to the Hay Adams Hotel which is across Lafayette Square from the White House. Uncle Ralph had to make a conference call in the room, so I walked around the block. After the call Uncle Ralph caught up with me and we walked over to the White House where 200 + people were protesting President Clinton's signing the Bill to end Federal payments for welfare. Walked over to the Treasury Building and took a picture of Alexander Hamilton. At the base of the Washington Monument, we read information printed on signs around the monument, on how it took so long to finish building it because they ran out of money to build it and had to finish it at a later time. Then we walked down along the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Monument. Then over to the Memorial for those who served in the Korean War, then to the Vietnam Memorial. Took a long walk along Constitution Ave. to the Washington Hotel for a light lunch on the roof of the Hotel over looking the Treasury Building and the White House, caught a cab to the back of Capital, visited the Supreme Court. Went to the old Senate Office Building and looked up Senator Dodds (Conn.) office for some passes to the House of Representatives and the Senate Building. Walked into the Library of Congress and then walked around the east side of the Capital. We walked back to the Hotel passing buildings such as; the IRS and the National Museum of Art. It was now about 7:00 pm, too late to visit the chamber of the Senate and the House of Representatives so we said we'd do it "tomorrow." Took a shower and caught a cab to a Japanese restaurant called "Hisogo" on the Potomac River in Georgetown, fairly good Japanese food. Back at the hotel by 8:30 pm, went to sleep at 10:00.

Day 9: Friday, August 23, 1996

Uncle Ralph woke me up at 8:00 am. We had breakfast in the hotel, and caught a cab to Jefferson Memorial. The cab driver, which was from Nigeria, told us that there were two Jefferson Memorials. He and Uncle Ralph got into a big argument, Uncle Ralph said, "look, there is only one Jefferson Memorial. Do you know where it is, or not?" Uncle Ralph accused him of not knowing how to get to the Jefferson Memorial. He really couldn't speak English well enough to be a cab driver. So we got out of his cab and caught another one, this driver was from Korea. He was a pretty smart immigrant. He knew where the monument was and how to get to it. He waited for us while we had a few words with old "T.J." (And I bought a Jefferson Memorial Biography). Then we drove across the Potomac to the Iwo Jima Statue, and on to Arlington National Cemetery, where we walked to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A single soldier, an Honor Guard, was pacing back in forth protecting the tomb. Back to the Capital building we went inside and visited the House of Representatives and the Senate Chamber, inside the Capital it was very beautiful. Uncle Ralph had to go back to the hotel and make another conference call at 11:00 am, so he took a cab and let me look around for awhile. I walked back to the hotel and got ready to leave. We caught a cab back to the airport for the 3:00 shuttle back to La Guardia airport. When we got to the airport we found out that my flight was canceled, so we booked the flight out at 6:00 am the next day (Saturday, August 24.) Left from the house in Connecticut at 4:00 am and that plane was on time.